Trent University celebrating its 60^th birthday brings a time to look into the past to remember where our university started, and everyone who had a hand in making it what it is today. While reflecting on those who we remember, we should also remember the women of the Trent community who made many contributions throughout the university’s history. From principals to community advocates, there has always been a strong female spirit in Trent’s life.

First in the spotlight is Trent and Traill’s pioneering woman, Marion Fry. Marion was Traill College's first principal. In an interview, she recounts how she didn’t want or need to study anything specific since jobs were abundant and received her Bachelors of Arts in 1953 from University of King’s College in Halifax. “I thought I was going to learn everything, I had a passion for learning, little did I know I had only broken the surface” said Marion. During our interview she describes how she was in her late twenties happily teaching in her position at Bishop's University when she accepted a potential teaching offer here at Trent. However, when asking Bishop’s registrar for information about the mysterious new university, no one could tell her anything. She responded to the offer saying she would go for the interview, but made it clear she was comfortable where she was. 

Soon she was in Toronto interviewing with Tom Symons and then quickly up in Peterborough interviewing with people already appointed, even soon-to-be English Professor John Pettigrew’s mother. Marion ended up falling in love with Trent’s small group teaching method, the emphasis on learning within the colleges, and the contact the professors had with their students, which resulted in Marion being appointed the Dean of Women a year before the university opened. 

As her career as the Dean of Women at the all-female house that Traill started as, she was assigning housing, helping choose the first applicants, creating the first college cabinet, helping choose the shade of green Trent was to use, planning the future and expansion of Traill, and naming the buildings as they expanded. Her title wasn’t changed to principal until the principal of Peter Robinson College, Richard Sadleir, wanted to change his title from dean to master. Marion didn’t want to be called mistress while Mr. Sadleir was called master, so after some conversation, she was the first named principal of Trent’s college system.

As Traill started buying more houses to expand their campus, they had to give them names. Marion said that they wanted to name the college houses after local women who had made a life for themselves outside of the men they were married to. Like Janet Scott and Isabella Crawford, the houses were named mostly after academically driven women so that the young ladies living at Traill would be inspired by their accomplishments. Their spirit mixed with the environment created by Marion and early faculty definitely lived on in the first students of Traill. When asked what she was most proud of during her time at Traill, Marion said she was most proud of the first graduating class. “It was a moment of great pride to hear about the pioneer Traill women excelling in graduate programs” Marion stated. Being able to speak up for themselves and clearly articulate their thoughts were the most common compliments Marion received back about her graduates in Masters programs.

Upon being asked if she felt as if she and Traill itself was treated equally to the all-male Peter Robinson College, she said that she felt they were and was personally happy that Traill started out as women only. She said that starting out as a women only college gave the female students confidence to learn and live as equals alongside the men by the time the colleges became co-ed. 

With a legacy to remember, Marion looks at the present day Traill College. She is happy about where it is and how it's going, saying “I feel it has been in good hands. I’m very happy that it is still the town college and welcoming to the Peterborough community since the people of Peterborough were the first to suggest starting a university here.” A wonderful woman who made a huge impact not only on the female history of Trent, but the entire history of the University. 

Marion Fry will be a name to remember every Trent birthday and Women’s History Month.

Next in the spotlight is Marrie Mumford. Marrie is Metis (Chippewa Cree) and is Trent University’s Indigenous Performance Program’s director, formerly the Indigenous Performance Initiatives Artistic Producer. She received her BA of Theatre from the University of Alberta and her MFA from Brandeis University in Boston. 

Before her time at Trent, she was working with the Ontario Ministry of Culture to create and implement a strategy for established and new Aboriginal Arts organisations from 1992 to 1995. As well, from 1995 to 2003 she was the artistic director of the Aboriginal arts program at Banff Centre for Arts. 

In 2004 Marrie made her way to Trent University as the newly appointed Canada Research Chair in Aboriginal Arts and Literature. She then became the Indigenous Performance Initiatives Artistic Producer at Nozhem Theatre, the first aboriginal theatre space at a Canadian university. 

Her accomplishments didn’t stop there as she formed the first Indigenous Performance Initiative (IPI) in Peterborough. The first performance at Nozhem, produced by Marrie, was Nishinaabe-Kweg Ngamowinan (Indigenous Women’s Songs) and was meant to showcase the talents of Aboriginal women. Professor Emerita Marrie Mumford has had a long legacy here at Trent University and will be remembered for all of her work across Canada.

Finally, we have Canadian novelist Margaret Laurence. Margaret was born in Neepawa, Manitoba and lived in many places around the world before settling in Lakefield, Ontario in 1973. Not long after her move to Lakefield she became the Writer in Residence for Trent in 1974 and would often participate in courses. She would offer advice and speak passionately about writing. Margaret adored the university and became Trent’s fourth chancellor in 1981 and in that same year, received an honorary degree from the university.

She was one of the major names in Canadian literature during her time and many of her stories were embodiments of her core beliefs. She often wrote about humans’ ability to love each other but also the mystery of how inhumane they can be towards each other, calling her books “a celebration of life itself”. The female characters in her books challenged the restrictions of being a woman in a male-centric world. Margaret was a strong and passionate woman, never shying away from standing up for what she believed in, famously saying “Do not despair. Speak out. Act.”

Sadly, in 1983 Maragret Laurence was diagnosed with cancer and given a six-month prognosis. In her last years Margaret put a lot of focus into being a peace activist, an activist for women’s equality, and an activist against the use of nuclear weapons. When she was diagnosed, she started writing her memoir Dance on Earth and it was edited and published by her daughter in 1989. 

Margaret died in 1987 by suicide. Her strength and enthusiasm that was so admired by Canadians will run through her beloved Trent University’s veins for decades to come.

These three women only scratch the surface of the legacy of great female leaders that live in Trent’s history and present. In Marion Fry’s interview, she happily remembered all the women that made her time at Trent better than it already was. She told stories about the caring and steadfast chef of Traill College Ms. Lindsay, Chris Maxwell who was one of the admired staff of Traill’s early days, and Christine Symons, Tom Symons wife who was remembered for always welcoming the early staff and leaders of Trent in for dinner and made them feel at home while they were working to build the university in a new city. 

As Trent grows, their work and pioneering spirits shall never be forgotten.